List of local railways with less than 1,000 daily passengers
Although local railways continue to face a difficult profit and loss situation, they are very valuable for tourists in that they offer beautiful views of the Japanese countryside from the train windows and the possibility of interacting with the local people. Especially for foreign tourists, seeing the beautiful unspoiled landscape of Japan from the train window must be a good memory of their trip to Japan.
In 2019, 31.88 million foreign tourists visited Japan. If 10% of these foreign visitors made even one round trip on the 45 routes listed here, this would represent a significant contribution of 70% of the 9.06 million annual passengers on the 45 routes in total.
According to Booking.com (2022 survey), “64% of global travelers avoid popular tourist destinations and attractions,” and “33% of global travelers want to have a more locally relevant experience.” Riding a local train can satisfy both of these demands. We urge you to consider riding a local train in Japan. You will be sure to see some spectacular scenery. You will also have a heartwarming interaction with the locals who ride local trains.
A list of local railways
2. Nishi-Shigi Cable Line (Osaka Prefecture)
3. Awa-Muroto Seaside Line (Tokushima & Kochi Prefecture)
4. Kishū Railway Line (Wakayama Prefecture)
5. Seikan Tunnel Tappi Shakō Line (Aomori Prefecture)
6. Akita Nairiku Line (Akita Prefecture)
7. Chōkai Sanroku Line (Akita Prefecture)
8. Nishikigawa Seiryū Line (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
9. Etsumi-Nan Line (Gifu Prefecture)
10. Watarase Keikoku Line (Gunma &Tochigi Prefecture)
11. Nose Electric Railway Myoken Cable (Hyōgo Prefecture)
12. Tsugaru Railway (Aomori Prefecture)
13. Wakasa Line (Tottori Prefecture)
14. Isumi Line (Chiba Prefecture)
15. Yamagata Railway (Yamagata Prefecture)
16. Sanriku Railway (Iwate Prefecture)
17. Izuhakone Railway Jikkoku Cable Line (Shizuoka Prefecture)
18. Kobe City Urban Development (Hyōgo Prefecture)
19. South Hokkaido Railway Company (Hokkaido)
20. Kōnan Railway Ōwani Line (Aomori Prefecture)
21. Akechi Railway (Gifu Prefecture)
22. Shikoku Cable (Kagawa & Tokushima Prefecture)
23. Yagan Railway (Tochigi & Fukushima Prefecture)
24. Tokai Transport Service Company (Aichi Prefecture)
25. Chōshi Electric Railway Line (Chiba Prefecture)
26. Tarumi Railway (Gifu Prefecture)
27. Aizu Line (Fukushima Prefecture)
28. Sarakurayama Cable Car (Fukuoka Prefecture)
29. Hisatsu Orange Railway (Kumamoto & Kagoshima Prefecture)
30. Ōigawa Railway (Shizuoka Prefecture)
31. Hōjō Line (Hyōgo Prefecture)
32. Noto Railway (Ishikawa Prefecture)
33. Kyoto Tango Railway (Kyoto)
34. Hieizan Railway Line (Shiga Prefecture)
35. Tenryū Hamanako Railroad (Shizuoka Prefecture)
36. Kurama-dera Cable (Kyoto)
37. Matsuura Railway (Saga & Nagasaki Prefecture)
38. Keifuku Electric Railroad Keifuku Cable Line (Kyoto)
39. Heisei Chikuhō Railway Tagawa Line (Fukuoka Prefecture)
40. Tosa Kuroshio Railway (Kōchi Prefecture)
41. Toyama Chihō Railway Tateyama Line (Toyama Prefecture)
42. Kintetsu Railway Ikoma Cable Line (Nara Prefecture)
43. Mojikō Retro Scenic Line (Fukuoka Prefecture)
44. Echigo Tokimeki Railway Nihonkai Hisui Line (Niigata Prefecture)
45. Shigaraki Kohgen Railway (Shiga Prefecture)
1. Minamiaso Railway (Kumamoto Prefecture)
Local | Kumamoto Prefecture |
Opened | 1986 |
Number of passengers (person/day) | 61 |
Line length | 17.7 |
Station (start) | Tateno |
Station (end) | Takamori |
2. Nishi-Shigi Cable Line (Osaka Prefecture)
Local | Osaka Prefecture |
Opened | 1930 |
Number of passengers (person/day) | 135 |
Line length | 1.3 |
Station (start) | Shigisanguchi |
Station (end) | Takayasuyama |
3. Awa-Muroto Seaside Line (Tokushima & Kochi Prefecture)
Local | Tokushima Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture |
Opened | 1992 |
Number of passengers (person/day) | 135 |
Line length | 10 |
Station (start) | Awa-Kainan |
Station (end) | Kannoura |
4. Kishū Railway Line (Wakayama Prefecture)
Local | Wakayama Prefecture |
Opened | 1931 |
Number of passengers (person/day) | 205 |
Line length | 2.7 |
Station (start) | Gobō |
Station (end) | Nishi-Gobō |
5. Seikan Tunnel Tappi Shakō Line (Aomori Prefecture)
Local | Aomori Prefecture |
Opened | 1988 |
Number of passengers (person/day) | 222 |
Line length | 0.8 |
Station (start) | Seikan Tunnel Memorial Hall |
Station (end) | Experience Tunnel |